DRT - The most important transport innovation you’ve never heard of

DRT. Have you, dear reader, ever heard that acronym before?

Perhaps you’re thinking it stands for ‘direct response translation’. Or maybe ‘digital rapid ticketing’. Or potentially it sounds like some new slang the youth use nowadays – ‘done really trying’, anyone?

In fact, DRT is not some Gen Z text abbreviation but an important form of public transport that is revolutionising how people in rural areas travel. Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) is defined by the government as ‘a flexible service that provides shared transport to users who specify their desired location and time of pick-up and drop-off.’

It is fundamentally an on-demand form of transport that can be booked in advance and doesn’t have a fixed timetable. The concept of DRT is nothing new, licensed taxis or dial-a-ride services are classic examples that have been serving communities for decades. 

However, new forms of DRT have emerged that are transforming the way people travel. Digital Demand Responsive Transport (D-DRT) normally takes the form of a bookable minibus service operating in rural and isolated communities that lack the fixed-route transport options present in large towns and cities. 

Examples can be found across Britain, such as the Welsh fflecsi bus or the Leicestershire FoxConnect, with the government funding 17 English pilot schemes in 2021 as part of the rural mobility fund.

D-DRT utilises cutting edge technology to level up the traditional DRT offer. Routing algorithms enable multiple user pick-ups and drop-offs along the same route without drastically increasing journey time. The tech also revolutionises how users book and view the service. Gloucestershire’s ‘The Robin’ has an app that allows for easy booking and provides live updates of predicted departure and arrival times.

Now, at this point you may be thinking, that sounds nice and all but what’s the fuss about? Why don’t they just call an Uber? Surely the metro is a better option. Have these people never heard of a bus?

I assure you, dear reader, that rural communities are not living in the stone age and have indeed heard of a bus. The problem is - there’s just not many of them.

Analysis suggests that almost 20% of bus services in rural areas have disappeared over the last five years, keeping with a trend that saw over 25% of services vanish in the decade preceding 2023.

Rural parts of the country have received considerably less funding than urban areas, with research from the County Councils Network suggesting they have been granted roughly 50% less extra state funding per capita. 

Cuts to bus services come at a time when driving rates are decreasing, especially among young people. The percentage of those aged 16-25 who hold a driving license reached record lows in 2021 and has seen a larger fall compared to other age brackets. 

Decreased mobility of rural populations due to a lack of viable transport options has ramifications across a range of social indicators. It reduces educational and employment opportunities, exacerbates loneliness, and has negative impacts on the wellbeing of local people.

It also contributes to the outward migration of young people who leave for urban centres. 86% of 16–25 year olds surveyed in rural areas cited ‘infrequent and unreliable public transport’ as a key factor in their desire to move away. 

D-DRT provides a solution that can be seen as a win-win for residents and government alike; ensuring that our rural towns and villages, historic areas that contribute disproportionately to English culture and identity, continue to survive and thrive. 

D-DRT can fulfil two distinct but complimentary roles. Firstly, it provides an alternative option to existing routes that remain vital but lack regular passenger demand. 

Buses in rural areas can be a lifeline for communities, enabling residents to access essential services and employment or educational opportunities.

However, they are rarely cost effective to run. Low numbers of passengers who travel infrequently means these routes are not attractive commercial ventures for private companies and rely on local government to fill the gap.

Local government transport budgets are already severely stretched and, faced with plummeting bus provision, authorities are having to make tough choices about which services to save.

This is where D-DRT comes in. Providing an on-demand service ensures the routes remain active but only run when needed, providing a more efficient and sustainable option with additional environmental benefits arising from reduced carbon emissions. 

D-DRT also connects residents not currently served by any bus route, levelling up the transport offer in rural areas and ensuring more equitable access to opportunity and leisure.

Secondly, D-DRT complements existing infrastructure to improve integrated transport provision and onward travel options. For many rural communities, getting about means taking multiple forms of public transport, culminating in long and disjointed journeys. 

By providing an on-demand shuttle service, bookable minibuses allow residents to connect with established rail or bus corridors without needing to drive or rely on infrequent or non-existent fixed bus routes. 

This can be transformational for local residents. The number of educational institutions available to young people increases, leading to improved employability and career choices. Employment opportunities open up in areas that were previously inaccessible, reducing rural flight and maintaining the vitality of towns and villages. 

Local people benefit from increased mobility that engenders greater wellbeing and opportunities. Local government benefits from a more sustainable and efficient transport provision that reduces outward migration and preserves historical communities. 

Win. Win.

What’s clear is that the current rural transport model is in desperate need of innovative solutions to address the pressing challenges of 21st century life. DRT might just be the most important one yet.

Illustration by Will Allen/Europinion